Automated systems exist for controlling and measuring usage of resources, such as gas, water and electricity. Such systems may include a number of different types of devices, which will collectively be referred to herein as “system devices.” Such system devices may include, for example, meter devices (e.g., gas, water, electricity meters, etc.), premises devices (e.g., in-home displays, thermostats, load control devices, etc.), and various other devices (e.g., communications devices, etc.). Within these automated systems, a number of different infrastructures may be employed for communicating data to and from the system devices. For example, some automated systems communicate with the system devices using a fixed wireless network, that includes, for example, a control node (e.g., central node) in communication with a number of device nodes (i.e., system devices). At the device nodes, the wireless communications circuitry may be incorporated into the system devices themselves, such that each device node in the wireless network comprises a system device having wireless communication circuitry that enables the system device to communicate with the control node. The device nodes may either communicate directly with an assigned control node, or indirectly though one or more assigned intermediate device nodes serving as repeaters. Some networks operating in this manner are referred to as “mesh” networks.
In many fixed wireless networks, system devices will be powered by an electrical distribution network such as depicted in FIG. 1. This is cost effective but creates a dependency between power and the ability of the system devices to communicate with one another. This dependency creates challenges for using wireless devices to provide notification of power outage conditions that occur on the electrical distribution network. Communication between wireless devices is often uncorrelated with the electrical distribution network, but the power needed to communicate is sourced from the electrical distribution network. In FIG. 1, the bold lines stemming from substation 500 represent electrical distribution lines providing power to central nodes 510 and 520 and bi-directional device nodes 10-22, while the dashed lines represent assigned bi-directional wireless communication paths between the nodes.
In a system such as shown in FIG. 1, faults and other problems on the electrical distribution network may present a number of challenges. For example, when a fault condition occurs, it is often difficult to determine the extent of the power outage resulting from the fault and to develop a power restoration scheme. Another problem is that a fault condition may result in a number of network nodes being “stranded,” meaning that the nodes remain powered after the fault but are unable to communicate with their assigned central node via their assigned communication path. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a fault 530 has occurred between nodes 12 and 13, resulting in a loss of power at node 13. Unlike node 13, nodes 14-17 remain powered after the fault condition because they are on different power distribution lines than node 13. However, nodes 14-17 communicate with their assigned central node 510 via an assigned communication path through node 13. Thus, fault 530 results in the stranding of nodes 14-17. It should be noted here that, in addition to device nodes, a fault may result in a loss of power at one or more central nodes. Such a loss of power at a central node may result in the stranding of each of the central node's assigned device nodes that remain powered after the fault. It should also be noted here that, in addition to faults, nodes may become stranded due to other electrical distribution problems or to problems occurring during the restoration process itself.
Thus, there is a need in the art for power outage management and power support restoration techniques for devices in a wireless network.